Category: Qld

Qld, Wildlife4 Comments

Gone batty

Itching for Hitching

I ride my bike down to Tooan Tooan Creek in Hervey Bay, Qld and in amongst the mangrove swamp I’m captivated by four different types of butterflies flitting about in the sunlight.  To onlookers I must have looked like some sort of mad woman dashing back and forth about the swamp wearing a bike helmet and waving a Nikon. On the north side of the swamp the flying fox colony is chattering and screeching in the trees, so before long the whole dashing performance thing is repeated. Continue reading Gone batty

Qld, The Characters You Meet2 Comments

Free Entertainment

Itching for Hitching

It’s Monday morning in Rainbow Beach in Qld and in front of us there is a rather noisy camp of people who we’ve noticed won’t walk to the toilet, they drive! And no, they’re not disabled, we’ve checked that out. This morning ‘the boss’, as we’ve begun to call him, is pacing back and forth talking loudly into his phone. I think that he wants to feel needed but isn’t, the staff are probably glad that he’s away with the family for a few days. We hear all about a concrete pour that went wrong last Friday because one of … Continue reading Free Entertainment

Qld, The Pubs5 Comments

Lion’s Den Hotel

Itching for Hitching

We take the short drive from Cooktown, Qld to have lunch at the famous Lion’s Den Hotel. It is a curiosity pub of the highest order. Set on the banks of the Little Annan River the back paddock is spacious and available to campers for a small fee. The pub has been operating since the tin mining days of the 1880’s when the miners would record their beer tab on the walls. Tourists still write notes on the walls. Hanging from the ceiling there are: shark jaws, cattle skulls, T shirts, bras, g strings, ski goggles, caps, miners hard hats, … Continue reading Lion’s Den Hotel

Places, Qld6 Comments

Winton in the dry season 2014

Itching for Hitching

Winton in Western Queensland has a population of about 1000 people. The main street has replica heritage street lamps and a centre strip of lawns and trees, even a water feature depicting the original town site of Pelican Waterhole. The town is busy and colourful which gives it a good feel. From what we see it appears that the people of this town aren’t afraid to have a go. This is the birthplace of Qantas. The grandest hotel in town is the North Gregory Hotel. After having been demolished and rebuilt with a second storey, it twice was burnt to … Continue reading Winton in the dry season 2014

Point of Interest, QldLeave a comment

The Gulflander

Itching for Hitching

As the wet season begins once more in northern Australia, I’m reminded of our visit to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the dry season of 2014. We assemble at the Normanton railway station in Far North Queensland at 8:00am to board the Gulflander train to go to Croydon 150kms away. The Gulflander is also known as the train that goes from nowhere to nowhere. The pretty little wooden station is all gussied up with flowers in pots and railway relics. In Queensland’s colour of maroon the diesel rail motor has three carriages. The 3ft 6inch wide line was opened in … Continue reading The Gulflander

Places, QldLeave a comment

The Isa

Itching for Hitching

Mt Isa in Queensland is not an old town but a fascinating one. Lead was discovered here in 1923, so there aren’t the heritage buildings and traditional outback pubs that define other towns. Surprisingly the City of Mt Isa actually includes the ‘suburb’ of Camooweal, 188 kilometres away. The road connecting the two towns is locally known as the “longest main street in the world.” The mine provides a dramatic backdrop to the city and the view of the city lights from the lookout is a treat at sunset. We spend the morning driving around Mt Isa’s residential streets looking … Continue reading The Isa

Caravan Parks, Qld, Top SpotsLeave a comment

Evening Star

Itching for Hitching

Evening Star Tourist Park is a working station and caravan park a mere nine kilometres out of Charleville, Qld and when we call in (winter 2014) it is managed by cheery Neil and Dot. The place is so good we book a second night as soon as we’re set up. It’s as neat as a pin with a real bush feel. There are spacious gravel sites and ensuite amenities surrounded by red dirt and mulga scrub. There is a licensed bar and camp kitchen that is run by Lenny the muso and his wife Annette who is the camp cook. … Continue reading Evening Star

Qld, WildlifeLeave a comment

Wet Emblems

Itching for Hitching

It is winter 2014 and we’re in Longreach in Western Queensland, there are clouds gathering, rain is forecast but the locals are reluctant to talk about it. They’re in the midst of the worst drought in 100 years. Overnight it starts raining and hasn’t let up all day. The red dust has turned to slippery, sticky mud. I can now see how the unmade roads around here quickly become impassable. Any wonder it was the birthplace of Australia’s iconic airline Qantas. Just turning the car around at the end of a residential street we churn up ruts in the mud. … Continue reading Wet Emblems

Places, Qld3 Comments

South Johnstone

Itching for Hitching

In north Queensland we had passed an intriguing pub at South Johnstone but couldn’t park the van. Being only a short distance away we decided not to let this one go. Next day we cross the South Johnstone River on a large causeway style bridge with no rails, these things freak me out. The thought of rushing floodwaters and crocodiles is enough to give anyone a thirst. South Johnstone has a large sugar mill at the south end and the South Johnstone River at the north end. In between there is a narrow road, about six empty “shops”, the Criterion … Continue reading South Johnstone

Freedom Camp, Places, Point of Interest, QldLeave a comment

Mary Kathleen

Itching for Hitching

The Mary Kathleen abandoned town site is located halfway between Mt Isa and Cloncurry in western Queensland. Uranium was found here in 1954. A town was built for the miners and their families. When the mine closed in 1984 families were given 21 days to vacate. All of the buildings were sold, houses, shops and community buildings. The houses were sold for $3000 – $4000 and most of them went to the nearby towns of Mt Isa and Cloncurry. Even the swimming pool was filled in. Today there is consideration to reopen the mine site to extract rare earth minerals, … Continue reading Mary Kathleen